Fighting reported at Saturday dawn between Syrian soldiers and dissident soldiers near a presidential palace in the coastal region of Lattakia, reported the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights (SOHR) and activists. The NGO said that the clashes took place in the village of Borj Islam, where the presidential palace is located.

Sema Nassar, an activist in Latakia, said the fighting erupted when " 30 officers and soldiers from a military base near the presidential palace in Borj Islam were preparing to desert with their weapons . " " Upon leaving the base, heavy fighting broke out between soldiers and deserters, loud explosions were heard and were heard even in the city of Latakia ," the activist added.

Meanwhile, the official SANA news agency said that the army troops had repulsed an attempt by “armed terrorists” to infiltrate from the sea in Lattakia area. According to the agency, soldiers and terrorists were killed or wounded in the fighting. At least 10 deserters were killed Saturday in fighting against government troops in Damascus area, sources reported.

Elsewhere in the country, Sana reported fighting between members of the security forces and a “terrorist gang” at dawn in Efrine in the Aleppo region, adding three troops and two of the terrorists died. The new violence came a day after 14 people died in violence, including 10 civilians, mostly protesters shot dead by regime troops.